Moon At Its Brightest
by NightlyFire
Summary: For those who didn't like the ending of HoO, likes Pertemis or both, this story is for you. Vote for Pairing Leo and Nico is open on my profile page.
1. Goodbye Annabeth

**Goodbye Annabeth**

 **Jason POV**

The goddess Nike twirled a laurel wreath on her finger. "Victory is always dangerous. And it often requires sacrifice. Leo Valdez, Annabeth Chase and I have discussed this." She stared pointedly with her fiery face at both Leo and Annabeth.

I didn't like that at all. I remembered Asclepius's grim expression when the doctor had examined Leo. "He may be used to defeat Gaia but he will definitely die. Someone else may take his place but he or she will definitely die."

I knew what they had to do to defeat Gaia. I knew the risks. But those risks were for Leo and Annabeth, Jason didn't want to put those risks on Leo or Annabeth's shoulders at all.

"Leo, Annabeth," Piper said, confused, "What is Nike talking about?"

Leo waved off the question. Annabeth smiled thinking about the discussion with Leo.

"The usual. Victory. Sacrifice. Blah, blah, blah. Doesn't matter. We can do this, guys. We have to do this," he said with so much bravery.

 **Flashback**

 **Annabeth's POV**

"Leo, we both know that someone of the seven will die," I said to Leo in a confined area.

"Yep, it's most likely going to be me," he replied back to me.

"No Leo, we need you to be alive," I reassured him.

"I doubt I will be alive after this battle," Leo replied with his usual smirk.

"I have a plan for you to live," I answered back. "But it will take my life."

"Why would you risk your life? Percy needs you the most. It would be better if you didn't sacrifice your life for me. No one needs me."

"Have you forgotten about the line in the prophecy?" _To storm or fire the world will fall._

Leo winced. "You just had to remind me about that?"

"What if that line meant something else? What if the line means that if Jason or you will die, than the world will fall? Have you not considered that fact? So, I think it would be safer if you lived. Besides, nobody here is better than you at building or create fire," I told him with deep thought.

"But what about Percy, he needs you, I don't think he may be able to survive it," Leo said.

"Remember Leo, the world is more important than my relationship. Only people like Percy can save both the world and his friends but there were times when he couldn't do it. This might just be one of those times. Besides, he will understand the choice that I made."

 **End of Flashback**

 **Jason's POV**

The last I saw of my dad, Zeus was a hundred feet tall, holding the Argo II by its prow. My father boomed, 'HOLD ON!'

Then he tossed the ship up and spiked it overhand like a volleyball. Let's just say the best volleyball teams won't stand a chance against Zeus.

If I hadn't been strapped to the mast with one of Leo's twenty-point safety harnesses, I would have disintegrated into tiny particles of flesh. As it was, my stomach tried to stay behind in Greece while all the air was sucked out of my lungs. It was a painful experience.

The sky turned black. The ship rattled and creaked. The deck cracked open like thin ice under my feet and, with a sonic boom, the Argo II was hurtled out of the clouds.

"Jason!" Leo shouted. "Hurry!" I could barely hear him, the howling of the wind whipping in my face and the cracking of the wooden boards from the ship.

My fingers felt like melted plastic, but I managed to undo the straps.

I saw Leo, who was lashed to the control console, desperately trying to right the ship as they spiralled downward in free fall. The sails were on fire. Festus creaked in alarm. A catapult peeled away and lifted into the air. Centrifugal force sent the shields flying off the railings like metal Frisbees.

Wider cracks opened in the deck as I staggered towards the hold, using the winds to keep myself anchored.

If I couldn't make it to the others …

Then the hatch burst open. Frank and Hazel stumbled through, pulling on the guide rope they'd attached to the mast. Piper and Percy followed, all of them looking disoriented. I was happy and relieved that they were safe.

"Go!" Leo yelled loudly. "Go, go, go!"

For once, Leo's tone was deadly serious, also with a tone of urgency.

They'd talked through their evacuation plan, but that slap across the world had made my mind sluggish. Judging from the others' expressions, they weren't in much better shape.

Buford the table saved them. He clattered across the deck with his holographic Hedge blaring, "LET'S GO! MOVE IT! CUT THAT OUT!"

Then his tabletop split into helicopter blades and Buford buzzed away.

Frank changed form. Instead of a dazed demigod, he was now a dazed grey dragon. Hazel climbed onto his neck. Frank grabbed Percy in his front claws, then spread his wings and soared away in speed.

I grabbed Piper by the waist, ready to fly, but I made the mistake of glancing down. The view was a spinning kaleidoscope of sky, earth, sky, earth. The ground was getting awfully close.

"Leo, you won't make it!" I shouted. "Come with us!"

"No! Get out of here!"

"Leo!" Piper tried. "Please–"

"Save your charmspeak, Pipes! I told you, I've got a plan. Now shoo!"

 **Annabeth POV**

I ran behind Leo, "Remember the plan that we made," I said softly and pushed Leo out of the ship. "Frank, save Leo," I cried as Frank hastily dived to grab Leo. _I'm so sorry Percy_ , I thought to myself. _I will miss you._

Time seemed to stop as I savoured my last moments with seeing Percy. My heartbeat raced faster than ever. I prepared my final moment.

 **Flashback**

Before we fought the giants, I had to tell Percy about what was going to happen. I was walking in the ship looking for Percy's room. I slowly knocked on his door while I thought about what I should say to him.

"Hey Annabeth, what do you want?" he asked me.

"Um, can I talk to you for a moment?" I responded to his question.

"Sure," Percy replied, "What do you have to say?"

"Well... the thing is... I might not be able to survive this..." I told him.

"No Annabeth, we will survive together like we always have. Nothing can break us apart," Percy replied, his eyes filled with worry. "We have been together for so long."

I concentrated on his sea green eyes. This was one of the last moments I had with him.

"You don't understand Percy, I'm so sorry," Annabeth continued. "I have to sacrifice my life to sa-

I was cut off from speaking as Percy pulled my hands towards him. He tightly grabbed onto my head and his mouths slowly advanced towards my face. In a matter of seconds, his lips touched my lips. His lips were warm.

My body immediately melted allowing him to push deeper. A deep sense of happiness coursed through my whole body and my stomach fluttered with joy. I relished the short moment we had.

Percy cut the kiss while holding my arms and said "No more crazy talk about you dying okay?"

 **End of Flashback**

 **Percy POV**

"ANNABETH," I shouted, my brains just couldn't register with what my eyes saw. My girlfriend stood on the ship looking at me, her eyes pleading me to go. She sacrificed her life for all of us to live.

My head swarmed with thoughts of sadness, fear and a feeling of loneliness. I took a last look at her beautiful gray eyes before forcing my head to turn away. I stood in shock, emptiness floated through my body.

I couldn't think straight. I couldn't even accept the fact that she is gone. Gone forever. She was the single most important person in my life apart from my mom. I fought the urge and sensation to go back and save her, it felt wrong. To leave her behind. I felt a hand on my shoulder. It was Hazel's.

No, she won't be gone that easily I told myself. She is Annabeth. She always has a plan. At the same time, I wasn't so sure. I didn't know what to do, I felt so helpless and weak.

"I'm sorry, Percy. I know she meant a lot to you but we have to save both camps from Gaia," Hazel whispered into my ear.

There was nothing I could say. I nodded in acceptance, before letting my head droop down.

"Man, I'm sorry Percy," said Leo.

"I HATE YOU GAIA," I shouted with all my might but I doubt she would care.

The Argo II had been our home for so long. Now we were abandoning it for good – and leaving Annabeth behind with it.


	2. Into The Battle

**Into the battle**

 **Percy POV**

I hated it, I hated every bit of it, but I saw the strong determination and sadness in Annabeth's stormy eyes. But, this is not a time for goodbye. We had to finish the quest and defeat Gaia. "Come on Percy, we have a battle to win," Piper smiled towards me trying to reassure me. I smiled back with a pain in my heart thinking about what to do in this situation.

At long island, storms of war broke out between both camps. Monsters were seen surrounding both sides of the war. No time could be wasted. I had to be there to end this war and possibly bring peace. Swarming in the sky were many stymphalian birds and gryphons.

"Jason, take down those birds and Piper, do what you can in the air, after that, help the Greeks," I ordered. "Frank, carry us towards the Romans."

Jason harnessed the winds, and he and Piper shot into the sky while Frank flew Leo, Hazel and I near to the ground. The ground wasn't much less chaotic.

As we plummeted towards the ground, I saw a vast and grand army of monsters spread across the hills-hellhounds, wild centaurs, ogres and other different wild monsters. They surrounded two tiny islands of demigods. At the crest of Half-Blood Hill, gathered at the feet of the Athena Parthenos, lied the main force of Camp Half-Blood. The five Roman cohorts were in a defensive formation several hundred yards away and seemed to be taking the brunt of the attack.

Giant eagles encircled Jason, screeching urgently, as if waiting for orders. "Attack the stymphalian birds and gryphons.

Frank the grey dragon flew carrying Hazel, Leo and I.

"Frank," I shouted, "Land me near the Romans. We need to merge the three isolated cohorts to the rest of the demigods."

"On it!" Frank replied. "Let's do this!" Frank in dragon form veered to the left and my stomach flipped. I made the mistake of looking down. I think we were way too high up.

In Frank's claw, I started screaming, "I REALLY HATE FLYING! DROP ME DOWN! GET TO THE COHORTS QUICKLY!" and with Leo in one claw joking, "Haha, Percy afraid of heights!" "I'M GONNA KILL YOU LEO WHEN THIS IS OVER, AAH." Despite being so close to the war, flying was sadly still a priority.

While Frank veered to the left, Piper and Jason veered towards the right heading towards the summit of Half-Blood Hill.

My heart lifted when I saw Nico di Angelo on the front lines with the Greeks, slashing his way through a crowd of hellhounds while trying to control it. He was twirling his sword doing damage yet not doing fatal injuries to them. He summoned an army of skeletons, old Half-Blood campers. "To me," he shouted. "Protect the campers." "Knock the hellhounds out."

Nearby, Tyson was hammering down the centaurs screaming "Bad ponies, go away!" While Ella was flying around his head giving him advice, "Hit his head and he gets knocked out." Wapow! "Yes, you hit his head."

A few feet away, Reyna sat astride a new white pegasus, her sword drawn. She shouted orders with ferocity at the legion, and the Romans obeyed without question, as if she'd never been away all this time.

"Legion, cuneum formate!" She cried. Her voice was clear and loud.

Almost instantly, the army formed into neat rows.

Frank the gray dragon flew towards the ground, dropping me and Leo next to the fiery Reyna. Frank then flew in the sky with Hazel making mirages. Looking towards Reyna, I had no idea of what to say.

"What took you so long," Reyna joked while slicing a hellhound.

"The usual," I replied. "Killing giants with the gods, nothing special. Just another average day in my life." I dodged the blade of an ogre before stabbing it in the chest.

"Haha, but seriously, what are we going to do. You know that we will end up being swarmed by the monsters right?"

"Then let's join the Greeks. We'll make it easier to win with both forces combined."

"So let's go."

"ROMANS," I shouted with all my might. "Follow me and join up with the Greeks. Together we will be unstoppable. No amount of monsters can prevent us from winning. Fighting together is the only way to win. So I say again, follow me and join with the Greeks. Who is with me?"

The Twelfth Legion Fulminata cheered and we marched towards Camp Half-Blood hill fighting monsters along the way. I took the lead with Reyna and Leo beside me. Frank and Hazel took the rear destroying any enemy that attacked from behind.

I saw Jason and Piper walking at the base of Camp Half-Blood with a group of campers, slashing at nearby monsters. Jason looked towards me and noticed what was happening.

"Greeks!" Jason yelled. "Um... Fight stuff and join with the Romans!"

The Greeks yelled their battle cry… and charged without any formations at all. "Come on, we can win this war, we will succeed," Piper charmspoke the campers. "Just go towards the Romans."

The monsters were sandwiched between the Greeks and Romans. Both armies charged towards each other with the aim of colliding and forming a greater and more secure mass. It was a hard and crazy battle, shouts and human screams, mixed along with screeches and inhuman sounds.

I fought with so much speed trying to group up with the Greeks. I dodged every blow destroying monsters in my path. Scattered and trampled on were the golden dust of the remains of the wild creatures. I saw Nico and Tyson fighting together both trying ways to help each other.

Looking at them got me distracted and I found myself surrounded by a ring of cyclops. I quickly did a wild slash in front of me destroying at least three cyclops and ran straight ahead. Somehow, I managed to find Jason and Piper in the midst of war. They protected each other well finding weaknesses in the opponent's armor. A charging centaur split them apart Jason was dazed. An approaching cyclops came to attack him from behind so I ran towards him and threw Riptide towards the approaching cyclops. Once I pulled my sword out, he humbly said "Thanks Percy, I owe you one."

Together we fought like demons rampaging through the monsters, nothing could defeat us. We were the strongest pair of demigods in our generation, probably the century. We protected each other's back with ease using our powers to summon water and electricity. Our fathers would have been proud of us, but this was all stopped when the ground started shaking.

This wasn't any sort of earthquake. This was where the ground literally got sucked into a hole and a huge figure erupted from inside the hole. A large feminine figure stepped out of the hole, her body began collapsing forming into a slightly smaller version with a more ghastly appearance. "I will destroy you all!"


	3. Annabeth Saves The Day

**Annabeth Saves the Day**

 **Percy POV**

When Gaia arose, she brought fear to all of us. She was truly terrifying. Some of the demigods began cowering in fear shutting their eyes trying to look away from her. Even the monsters had trouble looking at her. Some even exploded into showers of dust. Her words repeated over and over in my head, ringing the sounds of "I will destroy you all!" I seemed to believe her words, it made my head ache. She was way too powerful, it brought fear to everyone around the area. Then she opened her pure, green eyes. The eyes showed true destruction and the terrors that will come to those against her and the ones standing in her way.

The area was drowning in the powers of Gaia. Fear is a powerful weapon that is hard to defeat. I feat my heart beating with uneven paces, my head swarmed and I also felt several shivers down my spine.

"You," she shouted towards me, "will see the extent of my full power." The other four demigods from the prophecy walked and stood next to me. "Don't worry Percy, we got your back," Piper whispered to me. "And I to you," I replied back to her, and gave her what I thought was a reassuring smile. The fear subsided in my head, I reached for the courage I needed.

"Greeks, Romans, here before you is the Primordial Goddess Gaia! Together as one, we will destroy her! Together we will defeat the enemy and live to see another day! Together we will unite into the biggest group of demigods that have ever lived." I shouted with so much confidence towards the huge group of demigods. I knew there was fear in me, but I couldn't let it conquer me.

Shouts and cheers were sounded by the big group of demigods, I raised my sword along with the rest of the demigods. I felt great how words can melt the fear and bring courage. We were ready to charge towards Gaia when the earth began shaking wildly with rage. Almost everyone fell and collapsed, or had trouble staying stable and walking. Gaia stood firm as if everything was fine.

"Have you forgotten, demigods, that I am the goddess of Earth! I can control it to my will!" Gaia laughed manically at us, her voice echoed and boomed and the earth continued shaking.

It continued to shake for a while, we struggled against our wills. Until a figure from above shifted our attention.

Up in the bright sky, a small and majestic figure was seen flying across and approaching us quickly. Everyone turned towards it with curiosity. Within a few moments, a large owl-like figure was visible, as it came closer and closer, I saw a beautiful marvelous figure. It was a gigantic owl coloured in the beauty of ivory and gold, it wings flapped wildly to maintain itself in the sky. The owl was as big as the Athena Parthenos and it flash and glittered in the sky.

"Who are you," Gaia shouted with her raspy hoarse voice. "What are you doing here?"

A small hatch opened on the top of the owl's head, a person stepped out. A person I cannot imagine standing up there, a person whom I thought was gone, a person who I thought have left me, Annabeth.

I was tempted to rub my eyes, but I could tell the way she moved and the way she held herself. She stood firm on top of the gigantic owl's head, she was so marvelous. Her eyes shone and glowed. "I am here to destroy you and help my friends!" She shouted loudly, her face showed determination with no trace of smile at all. Her long blonde hair flashed in the bright sun.

"Ha, ha, ha! A puny girl like you, think that you can defeat me? Defeat a Primordial goddess? As if!" Gaia laughed loudly with her raspy voice, it shook the trees and everything surrounding the area. Annabeth went back inside her owl while Gaia laughed and laughed. The owl suddenly swooped down and I saw Gaia looking surprised when the owl flew down scraping her eyes with its claws. "Urgh," Gaia cried while trying to slap the owl. The owls flew majestically and dodged every coming blow.

"Charge," I shouted, together as an army, we ran towards Gaia with our weapons. We surrounded her, stabbing, slashing and poking wildly at her. She didn't seem to concentrate on us as her eyes were locked tight onto Annabeth.

When she finally realized what we were doing, she started laughing again. "Do you not understand that I'm the Earth goddess? It doesn't matter what you do as I will be healed as long as I am touching the ground." Apparently that was the wrong thing to say as Annabeth swooped down again grabbing her back and flying towards space. "Yes wise girl," I said softly to myself. We all cheered her on but we became nervous when Gaia grasped her right hand onto the owl.

"No," I cried, "Let her go!" I didn't want to see her get hurt. I sucked and a deep breath and forced myself to look towards her. She was our saviour. She was the only person who can defeat Gaia, while I, could only watch her fight against Gaia.

A figure ran past me while dropping a note into my hand. He wore gold, Roman armor. The golden helmet on his head concealed his identity. I couldn't tell who he was from the way he ran. He pulled out an arrow and aimed it towards Gaia. He fired the arrow and hit Gaia on her left foot. The figure then started climbing on what seemed like an invisible rope. I rubbed my eyes and saw that it wasn't an arrow but a grappling hook buried in the flesh of Gaia, with a rope running towards the ground, trailing towards the person. The person was climbing as hard as he could reaching towards Gaia lifted in the sky.


	4. Regrets

Percy's POV

It was quite a shock as everyone slowly began to notice the warrior in Roman armor. Climbing up a flimsy rope towards the Earth mother Gaia. I seemed to forgot all about the note he dropped in my hand.

He climbed the rope with ease even though Gaia was moving wildly. All of demigods trembled in fear and were nervous. We cheered him on.

Octavian's POV

I had to do something, I couldn't face myself. I made a mistake. A stupid one. A mistake that caused war between both camps. The mistake that caused Apollo to be disgraced. I realized that Percy Jackson, a hero like no other and the others in the seven were our only hope. Too many demigods died in the battlefield today. I could just pray that the seven will save us.

When the monsters attacked us, I panicked, I ran inside to pack my things in my tent. I was ashamed, too ashamed to face myself. A loyal legionary entered my room, "Sir, the seven have arrived, what do you want us to do?" "Follow their commands," I replied. "Do whatever they say. They are our saviours. Now, please, leave me in peace."

I was left in deep thought once he left. The seven from the prophecy are here, and should I stay or leave? Should I help them? I don't think I can do them any good. I doubted myself. Out of instinct, I ran outside looking around the Roman camp. I looked for the shrines to the gods, I had no hope except to pray to the gods, one by one. To deeply apologise for my past mistakes.

By the time I reached Apollo's shrine, my head was swarming with thoughts and emotions. _Apollo, I know that I have disgraced you as your descendant. I am deeply sorry, but please hear me out. I ask for forgiveness, I am sorry for all the trouble I have caused, I ask for your blessing, a blessing so I can make things right. A blessing that can save both camps of demigods._ I prayed and sacrificed everything I had with me, food, riches and drinks.

I felt a warm sensation, as if Apollo has acknowledged me. I felt hope slowly creeping up on me, bring light and possibilities. I ran back towards my tent and started changing into battle armor. I was fully armored in Roman purple, wearing a quiver on my back with a bow in one and and helmet in the other along with a sheathed imperial gold sword at my belt. I found a piece of paper and began writing on it, my last words to be given to someone I trust and placed it into my pocket.

I ran outside prepared to charge into battle along with my fellow demigods. My footsteps thudded on the ground, armor clinking together. I saw the seven fighting the enemy together along with both camps united. The demigods fought with so much ferocity, everything unfolded in front of my eyes. In no time, the tides turned. The monsters were being thrashed and killed. Everything seemed to flow smoothly until the growling of the Earth. The earth was shaking violently. A figure rises from the earth. I knew at once that it was the earth mother Terra or Gaia, in Greek terms. I paced towards her oblivious to what she had to say but as the ground was moving uncontrollably, it was extremely difficult to walk towards her.

Just as Gaia was making her speech. A figure descended from above and grasped onto Gaia. As it approached I realised it was a giant owl-like figure and it picked up Gaia into the sky. As the figure approached us, I realised that it was a giant owl. It picked up Gaia as if it was giant stuffed toy.

I wanted to call out to the owl, to tell it to stop, but when I saw who was inside the owl figure. I knew she had a good plan. She was the daughter of Minerva, orr should I say, Athena. Athena was the Greek Goddess of wisdom and warfare if I remembered correctly. I had to trust her doings and ideas.

I seemed to suddenly be rushed over by newfound energy deep inside me. I felt the urge to rush into battle just like the other demigods.

I took out the note from my pocket and grasped it tight in my free hand. I ran towards Percy, brave and the hero of all. I shoved the note into his free hand. I knew that he must be puzzled. Before he can notice anything, I ran towards Gaia. I saw her might and power, fighting back at the brave Annabeth. All I had on my mind was the fact that my fellow demigods need me. I may have caused trouble, but right now, I am their only hope. It is time to prove to others that I am a hero.

I pulled a grappling arrow from my quiver and aimed at Gaia's left foot. Once the tip dug into her foot, I began climbing as quickly as I could. The rope was a flimsy piece of thing, it was made even harder to climb. As Gaia thrashed and moved around, dragging around by the powerful and strong eagle.

My heart thudded, it was too late to turn back now. I felt eyes starting to stare. I wasn't half as strong as the other demigods around, but I was determined, I was filled with determination. My target for now is to reach the top and kill Gaia. I really do hope that killing her will make up for my mistakes and faults.

I heard shouts and loud cheers when I finally reached Gaia's foot. It gave me a boost of confidence for me to complete my mission. I started climbing up her foot, trying to reach her hands with the intention of cutting it off. It was extremely difficult, but my motivation stuck with me. The wild movements made by Gaia made it very hard to climb. I held onto her foot like I was a koala hugging a tree branch. If it wasn't for the desperate situation, people would have been laughing.


End file.
